EAGAN, Minn. — Grace Delmonico took her time with the college recruiting process. She wanted to make sure that there would be a perfect fit for her at wherever she decided to spend the next four years of her life.
The senior at Gentry Academy took an official visit to St. Cloud State recently and subsequently announced her commitment to the program on Jan. 23. She was set to tour Maine the week after visiting St. Cloud, but ended up canceling it after seeing how much she loved the Huskies team culture and coaching staff.
The current leading goalscorer for the Stars was in contact with the previous St. Cloud State coaching staff a few years ago, but talks ended up fizzling out. When the new coaching staff, lead by Brian Idalski, was brought on this past offseason in 2022, talks started to pick up again.
"It was pretty easy for me to make the decision ... the culture felt so nice and they have a new coaching staff too so I got to talk and meet with all of them and I loved them," said the Minnesota native on her decision. "I could just see myself being there for the next four years and I told myself that I think this is where I want to go."
Congrats to #22 Grace Delmonico on her commitment to @SCSUHuskies_WHK ! pic.twitter.com/nvzdcg8O73
— Gentry Stars Girls Hockey (@GentryGHockey) January 24, 2023
It also helps that St. Cloud is just under a 90-minute drive from home.
ADVERTISEMENT
"(My family) were pretty pumped that they'd be able to come watch some of my games and not have to go on a flight to come see me," she added.
Born and raised in Eagan, Minn., Delmonico comes from a family of hockey players. Both her mother and father played the sport, and the senior also has two brothers (one older, one younger) who play hockey as well.
"I pretty much grew up in the rink ... put the skates on around five or six and I just started from there," said the 17-year-old. Delmonico grew up playing Minnesota Made hockey and also played a season of Eagan boys AA in the sixth grade.
The 5-foot-3 forward is in her third and final season with the Stars, who have been to the state tournament every year since it's inception as a girl's high school program. Gentry Academy was the Class-A runner-up in 2021, and lost the third-place Class-AA match in 2022.
"Winning the state championship is the biggest goal that I have. We've been to state twice but had our time cut short so I really have a feeling that this is our year," Delmonico said.
Gentry Academy currently only has two losses in the 2022-23 season, falling 3-2 to Proctor/Hermantown and 10-7 to Warroad. Delmonico currently leads the team in goals with 23, and is second on the squad in total points scored with 43 over 20 games played. She is averaging 2.15 points-per-game and seven of her total 43 points came on the power play.
The senior forward was also a participant this summer in the USA Girls Select 16/17's camp for some of the top girls hockey players in the nation.
"I've always been a gritty player," said the forward on her style of play. "I love going into corner battles, just intimidating other players and thinking I'll come out with the puck — and when I do, what am I going to do with it. I'm a hard worker."
ADVERTISEMENT
And when it comes to Delmonico's future, she'll have a couple of familiar faces heading to St. Cloud State with her. Gentry Academy teammate Alexa Hanrahan is also committed to SCSU, along with Marie Moran of Apple Valley and Myah Krueger of Stillwater, who Delmonico is already familiar with.
The Eagan native will finish out the 2022-23 season with Gentry Academy this season before heading out to St. Cloud State this upcoming fall. When Delmonico isn't on the ice, she does boxing in her free time to keep up with her conditioning for hockey.
"I'm just excited for the next four and to see what I can bring to St. Cloud State University."
The Trust Project
